Patent GB-972916-A (GB)
Title: Filling head for filling containers such as bottles
Inventor: FECHHEIMER PAUL RHEINSTROM
IPC: B67C3/16
Filed: 1961-02-15
Abstract: 972,916. Filling bottles. KARL KIEFER MACHINE CO. Feb. 15, 1961, No. 5701/61. Heading B8T. The filling head 7 of a vacuum bottle filling system comprises a filling stem 28 sliding within a vacuum tube 29, which stem slides downward into a bottle for filling and is retracted within the vacuum tube 29 to cut off the flow of liquid, when filling is completed, the lip of the stem having a vacuum passageway extending therethrough where the stem is in retracted position. The stem is held retracted within the tube 29 by a latch 44 which is released, upon upward movement of the bottle into engagement with the centring bell 54, to allow the stem to slide down into the bottle for filling. In a rotary tube machine the bottles are lifted to filling position by a cam 10, Fig. 1, and the filling stems are controlled by a cam 43 engaging followers 39 attached to the stems 28. The liquid product is supplied from a reservoir 13 through a central column 15 to a space 16 connected to the heads by pipes 17 and a vacuum pump 24 is connected through a trap 22 to a chamber 18 which is connected by pipes 19 to the vacuum tubes 29 which are secured to supports 7 rotating with the table 9. The filling sequence is shown in Fig. 17. As each container 55 is lifted by cam 10 until its top engages a seal member 56 (stage B), the centring head 54 is simultaneously lifted by the bottle, whereby an extension 52 of one of the guide rods of the head 54 trips the latch 44 so that the filling stem 28 is released for movement downwards under the control of cam 43. If no container is present, the latch 44 is not tripped and the filling stem remains held in its inoperative position. At stage C, Fig. 17, the stem 28 has descended and filling commenced. When the container is nearly full, the follower 39 is lifted by portion 43b of cam 43 (stage D) and the stem is returned to its inoperative position in which the latch 44 is re-engaged, any overfill being removed through the vacuum tube 29. The stem 28, Fig. 9, has a head 64, e.g. of nylon, containing the liquid orifices 65, which is a sealing fit in the vacuum tube 29 when retracted thereinto, grooves 66 through the head from the vacuum tube preventing drip from the stem. In a modification, Fig. 20, the stem tip is of stainless steel and provided with sealing -rings 73. The application of vacuum to the container is delayed for a short time after the container contacts the seal 56 by a valve member 58, Fig. 1, which blocks the pipe 19 for a short period. A groove in the valve 58 permits restricted communication between chamber 18 and pipe 19 for a short period prior to full opening of the pipe 19. In a modification, Fig. 16 (not shown), the liquid in reservoir 13 is pressurized. In Fig. 18, the cam 10 is provided with a dwell portion 78 in which the bottle is lowered a small distance away from the seal member 56 and the cam 43 is provided with a corresponding dwell portion 84 at which the fill level is established. The cam portion 84 is adjustable by a screw 82 and when the stem is on this portion of the cam, the overfill is removed through a vacuum connection 75, Fig. 20, in the end 76 of the stem 28. Following this, the stem is raised higher by the succeeding portion of cam 43 to re-engage the latch 44. Specification 960,061 is referred to.